Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, April 18th, 2026
the Second Week after Easter
the Second Week after Easter
video advertismenet
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Read the Bible
Bible in Basic English
2 Corinthians 10:9
That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- FaussetEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.
I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.
King James Version (1611)
That I may not seeme as if I would terrifie you by letters.
That I may not seeme as if I would terrifie you by letters.
King James Version
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
English Standard Version
I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters.
I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters.
New American Standard Bible
for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
for I do not want to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
New Century Version
I do not want you to think I am trying to scare you with my letters.
I do not want you to think I am trying to scare you with my letters.
Amplified Bible
nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters;
nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Legacy Standard Bible
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Berean Standard Bible
I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.
Contemporary English Version
And I am not trying to scare you with my letters.
And I am not trying to scare you with my letters.
Complete Jewish Bible
My object is not to seem as if I were trying to frighten you with these letters.
My object is not to seem as if I were trying to frighten you with these letters.
Darby Translation
that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:
that I may not seem as if I was frightening you by letters:
Easy-to-Read Version
I don't want you to think that I am trying to scare you with my letters.
I don't want you to think that I am trying to scare you with my letters.
Geneva Bible (1587)
This I say, that I may not seeme as it were to feare you with letters.
This I say, that I may not seeme as it were to feare you with letters.
George Lamsa Translation
But I am hesitant, lest I seem as if I were trying to frighten you with my letter.
But I am hesitant, lest I seem as if I were trying to frighten you with my letter.
Good News Translation
I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
I do not want it to appear that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
Lexham English Bible
so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters,
so that I do not want to appear as if I were terrifying you by my letters,
Literal Translation
so that I may not seem to frighten you by letters.
so that I may not seem to frighten you by letters.
American Standard Version
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Hebrew Names Version
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
International Standard Version
I do not want you to think that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
I do not want you to think that I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
Etheridge Translation
9 But I insist not, [fn] that I may not be considered as one who would terrify you by my epistles.
9 But I insist not, [fn] that I may not be considered as one who would terrify you by my epistles.
Murdock Translation
But I forbear, lest I should be thought to terrify you terribly, by my epistles.
But I forbear, lest I should be thought to terrify you terribly, by my epistles.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Lest I should seeme as though I wet about to make you afrayde by letters.
Lest I should seeme as though I wet about to make you afrayde by letters.
English Revised Version
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
World English Bible
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
That I may not seem to terrify you by letters.
That I may not seem to terrify you by letters.
Weymouth's New Testament
Let it not seem as if I wanted to frighten you by my letters.
Let it not seem as if I wanted to frighten you by my letters.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But that Y be not gessid as to fere you bi epistlis,
But that Y be not gessid as to fere you bi epistlis,
Update Bible Version
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.
Webster's Bible Translation
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
New English Translation
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters,
New King James Version
lest I seem to terrify you by letters.
lest I seem to terrify you by letters.
New Living Translation
I'm not trying to frighten you by my letters.
I'm not trying to frighten you by my letters.
New Life Bible
I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters.
I do not want you to think I am trying to make you afraid with my letters.
New Revised Standard
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
I do not want to seem as though I am trying to frighten you with my letters.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters;
That I may not seem as though I would be terrifying you through means of my letters;
Douay-Rheims Bible
But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
But that I may not be thought as it were to terrify you by epistles,
Revised Standard Version
I would not seem to be frightening you with letters.
I would not seem to be frightening you with letters.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
This saye I lest I shuld seme as though I went about to make you a frayde with letters.
This saye I lest I shuld seme as though I went about to make you a frayde with letters.
Young's Literal Translation
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,
that I may not seem as if I would terrify you through the letters,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This I saye, lest I shulde seme, as though I wente aboute to make you afrayed with letters.
This I saye, lest I shulde seme, as though I wente aboute to make you afrayed with letters.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but that I may not seem as if I would strike a terror in you by letters:
but that I may not seem as if I would strike a terror in you by letters:
THE MESSAGE
And what's this talk about me bullying you with my letters? "His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he's a weakling and mumbles when he talks." Such talk won't survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We're the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.
And what's this talk about me bullying you with my letters? "His letters are brawny and potent, but in person he's a weakling and mumbles when he talks." Such talk won't survive scrutiny. What we write when away, we do when present. We're the exact same people, absent or present, in letter or in person.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I'm not trying to be a bully with my letters.
I'm not trying to be a bully with my letters.
Contextual Overview
7 Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is. 8 For though I might take pride in our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for your destruction), it will not be a cause of shame to me: 9 That I may not seem to have the desire of causing you fear by my letters. 10 For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force. 11 Let those who say this keep in mind that, what we are in word by letters when we are away, so will we be in act when we are present.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
terrify: 2 Corinthians 10:10, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 4:19-21
Reciprocal: 2 Corinthians 12:6 - above that 2 Corinthians 12:20 - and that
Cross-References
Genesis 6:4
There were men of great strength and size on the earth in those days; and after that, when the sons of God had connection with the daughters of men, they gave birth to children: these were the great men of old days, the men of great name.
There were men of great strength and size on the earth in those days; and after that, when the sons of God had connection with the daughters of men, they gave birth to children: these were the great men of old days, the men of great name.
Genesis 6:11
And the earth was evil in God's eyes and full of violent ways.
And the earth was evil in God's eyes and full of violent ways.
Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were evil, and great sinners before the Lord.
Now the men of Sodom were evil, and great sinners before the Lord.
Genesis 25:27
And the boys came to full growth; and Esau became a man of the open country, an expert bowman; but Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
And the boys came to full growth; and Esau became a man of the open country, an expert bowman; but Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
Genesis 27:30
And when Isaac had come to the end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had not long gone away from Isaac his father, Esau came in from the field.
And when Isaac had come to the end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had not long gone away from Isaac his father, Esau came in from the field.
2 Chronicles 28:22
And in the time of his trouble, this same King Ahaz did even more evil against the Lord.
And in the time of his trouble, this same King Ahaz did even more evil against the Lord.
Psalms 52:7
See, this is the man who did not make God his strength, but had faith in his goods and his property, and made himself strong in his wealth.
See, this is the man who did not make God his strength, but had faith in his goods and his property, and made himself strong in his wealth.
Jeremiah 16:16
See, I will send for great numbers of fishermen, says the Lord, and they will take them like fish in a net; and after that, I will send for numbers of bowmen, and they will go after them, driving them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
See, I will send for great numbers of fishermen, says the Lord, and they will take them like fish in a net; and after that, I will send for numbers of bowmen, and they will go after them, driving them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Ezekiel 13:18
This is what the Lord has said: A curse is on the women who are stitching bands on all arms and putting veils on the heads of those of every size, so that they may go after souls! Will you go after the souls of my people and keep yourselves safe from death?
This is what the Lord has said: A curse is on the women who are stitching bands on all arms and putting veils on the heads of those of every size, so that they may go after souls! Will you go after the souls of my people and keep yourselves safe from death?
Micah 7:2
The good man is gone from the earth, there is no one upright among men: they are all waiting secretly for blood, every man is going after his brother with a net.
The good man is gone from the earth, there is no one upright among men: they are all waiting secretly for blood, every man is going after his brother with a net.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. Here seems to be something wanting, which is to be supplied, The sense is, though I might lawfully boast of the superior authority which we apostles have above other persons, in using sharpness with men insolent and hardened in sin; yet I will not, I forbear every thing of that kind, I drop it, I do not choose to insist upon it;
מחמא אנא, "I overlook", or "neglect" it, "I do not care" to do it, as the Syriac version supplies it; and this he thought most prudent and advisable, lest he should give any occasion to the above calumny that he was bold, and blustering, and terrifying by his letters when absent, and only threatened that he had no power to perform.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
That I may not seem ... - The meaning of this verse seems to be this. “I say that I might boast more of my power in order that I may not appear disposed to terrify you with my letters merely. I do not threaten more than I can perform. I have it in my power to execute all that I have threatened, and to strike an awe not only by my letters, but by the infliction of extraordinary miraculous punishments. And if I should boast that I had done this, and could do it again, I should have no reason to be ashamed. It would not be vain and empty boasting; not boasting which is not well-founded.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Corinthians 10:9. That I may not seem, c.] This is an elliptical sentence, and may be supplied thus: "I have not used this authority nor will I add any more concerning this part of the subject, lest I should seem, as my adversary has insinuated, to wish to terrify you by my letters.
